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Police Prevent Deadly School Attack in Tampa; Interview With Bystander Who Helped Stop 6-Year-Old From Being Abducted; Interview With Rapper Game About Facing Charges Over Tweet; Power of Social Media; Heat Melting Arctic Ice; Perry Fires Back; Talk Back Question; Cuba Within Reach
Aired August 17, 2011 - 11:59 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Top of the hour now. I am Fredricka Whitfield. Let's get you up to speed.
Developing in Tampa, Florida this hour, police say they have headed off a school plot that could have claimed more victims than the Columbine attack of 1999. A 17-year-old former student identified as Jared Cano is in custody accused of planning to bomb Freedom High School next Tuesday, the first day of class. Police say they found explosive materials and a written minute-by-minute plan to kill about 30 students and two administrators.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JANE CASTOR, TAMPA POLICE CHIEF: We were probably able to thwart a potentially catastrophic event the likes of which the city of Tampa has not seen and hopefully never will.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: And President Barack Obama's bus tour rolls into Atkinson, Illinois, this hour. It's the next to the last stop of the three-day, three-state road trip focused on the economy and jobs.
A senior administration official says the president will unveil a new jobs initiative shortly after Labor Day. It's likely to include tax breaks, innovative infrastructure projects, and help for the long- term unemployed.
The president talked with CNN's Wolf Blitzer during a stop in Iowa.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We've made progress since the start of this recession back in 2008. It hasn't been fast enough. We've got to accelerate it. And there are two things that need to happen.
Number one, we've got to make sure that people have confidence we've got our fiscal House in order, and that we're living within our means, eliminating programs that don't work. Number two, there are some immediate things we can do around infrastructure, tax policy that would make a difference in terms of people hiring right now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: The newest Republican presidential candidate is on the trail in New Hampshire today. Texas Governor Rick Perry says he will make new jobs his top priority.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. RICK PERRY (R-TX), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: My actions as governor are helping create jobs in this country, and the president's actions are killing jobs in this country. It's time to get America working again.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: And 9/11 first responders say it's a galling betrayal. They haven't been invited to next month's memorial ceremony marking the 10th anniversary of the terror attack. New York's mayor's office says the event for the victims' families, there's not enough room for police and firefighters.
And still an unbelievable sight to see. Country music duo Sugarland is planning a private memorial now to honor victims of that tragic stage collapse. Five people were killed when strong winds brought down scaffolding ahead of Sugarland's concert in Indianapolis Saturday night. An announcement that bad weather was on the way has turned up on YouTube.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As you can see to the west, there are some clouds. We are all hoping for the best that the weather is going to bypass us, but there is a very good chance that it won't. Once the storm passes and everything is safe, we are going to try our best to come back and resume the show, which we have every belief that that is going to happen.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: And today is the first day of school in Joplin, Missouri, and students' first day back since last May's deadly tornado. High school juniors and seniors are going to classrooms in an old shopping mall, by the way. The school board spent $5 million to convert the building. Students are grateful to have classrooms, but they admit it won't be the same.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Every time I drive by it, it's still really sad. Just all the memories and all the friends that I made in these hallways.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sad knowing that you won't be able to spend your last year of high school here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Homeland security investigators want to know how a bag of firecrackers got on Southwest Airlines, on a plane. The flight was about to leave Las Vegas for Kansas City when a flight attendant discovered the prohibited items. Passengers had to get off and be re- screened, and none of them would claim the firecrackers.
And kidnapping suspect Phillip Garcia is expected in court in Albuquerque tomorrow. A bystander says he saw Garcia wrestling a 6- year-old girl into a blue van. Antonio Diaz Chacon jumped into his truck and then took off after them. His wife Martha called 911.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
MARTHA DIAZ, WIFE OF ANTONIO DIAZ CHACON: We heard a man going, "Hey, hey, let her go." So we turned around. And we were about to leave. We were on the truck, so the man came running to us and he said, "They stole our little girl."
(END AUDIO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: So the chase ended when the suspect's van slammed into a pole. Chacon then jumped out of his truck and rescued the little girl, while the suspect took off running and was captured by police.
Joining me right now, actually, is the hero himself, Antonio Diaz Chacon, and his wife, Martha, who called police.
So, Martha, I understand you are going to do some translation for us. So, if you could, first, ask your husband there how he feels after saving this 6-year-old.
DIAZ: He says he feels happy and content. Just that.
WHITFIELD: So, Martha, you and Antonio kind of take me back to this moment. At what point did Antonio think to himself or observe there is something wrong with this picture, something terrible is happening and I have got to spring into action?
DIAZ: Yes. Well, we heard the other neighbor yelling, you know, "Let her go! She's not yours!"
And we were outside, so we found out what was happening, that he took the little girl. And we just hopped into the truck and we just decided to follow him and not lose him.
WHITFIELD: So you were only feet away. How far away were you from that van when you were witnessing this?
DIAZ: Probably like 10, 15 feet.
WHITFIELD: OK. And then Antonio got in the car. Were you along with him when he got back into the car and started chasing the van?
DIAZ: Yes, we got into our truck, and then we decided just to chase them. And then that's when he dropped me off with the security people to call the police and stuff like that, and that's when he left by himself chasing him.
WHITFIELD: And ask Antonio what happened from there, after he dropped you off. Was this speeding fast, going through a number of turns? What happened before that van crashed?
DIAZ: Yes. He says that when he dropped me off, he just followed him for, like, 15 or 20 minutes. And they went through houses, through different streets. I guess the guy was trying to lose him until he wrecked into a light pole, and that's when he was able to catch him -- or to catch up to him.
And then after that, that's when he crashed into, I guess, the dirt sand dune or something. And that's when he fled.
WHITFIELD: So, Martha, since you had been dropped off, you didn't know how long he was going to be, et cetera. How frightened were you that -- or were you even worried that your husband may be getting too involved in all of this?
DIAZ: Yes, well, I tried to go with the security people, but they said, you know, "It's too dangerous. You have to stay here. Just call the police and let them know what is going on."
So, by then, like, five or 10 minutes had gone by, and I don't know if they had crashed, because my husband, he said, "I don't care what I'm going to do. I'm just going to block the way. I'm going to stop him."
So I said, "Well, I don't know what happened, where they went or if they stopped." I don't know.
WHITFIELD: Yes. And then what was the moment like, Martha, to see that 6-year-old girl, to see that she was OK, and that she had essentially been rescued by your husband?
DIAZ: It was so -- I don't know. I can't even explain it because of my daughters. So, I saw her and I just hugged her and I told her, "You're OK now. You're with mom and dad."
WHITFIELD: Martha and Antonio, thanks so much. I know the family, of course, thanks you, too. Job well done.
DIAZ: Thank you.
WHITFIELD: Thanks for your time. Appreciate it.
And, by the way, in case you were curious about how often children are abducted, here are some of the numbers according to the Justice Department.
There are about 1,200 non-family abductions taking place a year. Approximately 115 of them are total strangers who kidnap children intending to keep them permanently or perhaps even kill them. Far more children are abducted by family members. Authorities put that number at 55,000 a year.
And here is your chance to "Talk Back" on one of the big stories of the day. Today's question: Is heckling good for our political discourse?
Carol Costello joins us from New York with some rather, I don't know, steamy sentiments. People are fired about this.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's early in the election season, and there are already hecklers out there. Even organized heckling.
The question today is: Is that kind of heckling good for our political discourse? Because, let's face it, election 2012 is shaping to be the year of the political flash mob. Liberal hecklers scored when they challenged Republican Mitt Romney.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Corporations are people, my friend. We can raise taxes on -- of course they are.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: It worked. The Democratic National Committee turned it into an ad.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROMNEY: Corporations are people, my friend. We can raise taxes -- of course they are. Everything corporations earn ultimately goes to people. So where do you think it goes?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In their pockets!
ROMNEY: Whose pockets? People's pockets.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Not to be outdone, Iowa Tea Party Chairman Ryan Rhodes confronted President Obama.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RYAN RHODES, IOWA TEA PARTY CHAIRMAN: When you're talking about civility, how is your vice president calling us terrorists?
OBAMA: Sir, look --
RHODES: I would like to understand that.
OBAMA: OK. I will explain it right now. He did not call you guys terrorists.
RHODES: He said we were acting like terrorists.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: I don't think they came to a meeting of the minds. Do you? It does make you wonder.
As University of Virginia politico Larry Sabato told me, "We're moving into a confrontational society. We don't want to listen to C- SPAN. That's too boring. Instead, we make our decisions based on political flash mobs." "Maybe," he added, "politicians are now judged on how well they respond to hecklers, not how well they explain their policies."
Sabato says we could end up with baseball-style brawls at campaign rallies. How would that end, in a political dog pile with everyone just topping on top of one another?
So, the "Talk Back" question today: Is heckling good for our political discourse?
Facebook.com/CarolCNN. I'll read your comments later this hour.
WHITFIELD: All right. We'll look forward to more. Thanks so much, Carol.
COSTELLO: Sure.
WHITFIELD: All right. Here's a rundown of some of the stories that we're covering over the next hour.
First, the rapper called Game could face charges after somebody sent a tweet on his account. We are talking to Game live about the incident.
And we look at the legal implications of social media, including the latest flash mob where kids are accused of robbing a convenience store.
And then, three months after a massive tornado ripped apart Joplin, Missouri, a new school year is under way. We'll have a report.
Also, why a clothing store doesn't want one of the stars of the reality show "Jersey Shore" wearing its close anymore.
And later, a tax fight for same-sex couples.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I can't give my partner more than $13,000 a year without it being a taxable gift.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: All right. Here's a look at today's "Choose the News" stories. Text 22360 to vote for the one that you want to see. First up, danger in Yosemite. The park is known for its beauty, with spectacular waterfalls and wildlife, but there are hidden dangers you need to be aware of.
And second, made in China. Find out how America is profiting from products made in China. We'll let you in on a little-known secret that could change the way you buy.
Or, third, American tourists in Cuba. Visitors from the U.S. are heading to the island nation and getting a taste of culture in a once- forbidden place.
You can vote by texting "22360." Text "1" for Danger in Yosemite; "2" for Made in China; or "3" for American Tourists in Cuba.
The winning story airs later on this hour.
All right. Now, more on a story that is really firing up social media. The artist nominated for a Grammy in 2006 for the song "Hate It or Love It" is now getting a bad rap.
(MUSIC)
WHITFIELD: So, on Friday, the Compton Sheriff's Station was flooded with hundreds of calls causing the phone system to shut down. Investigators traced those calls back to Game's Twitter account, which promised an internship and a number to call. The L.A. Sheriff's Department says the prank was no joke.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CAPT. MIKE PARKER, LOS ANGELES COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPT.: The people that were legitimately calling through with important calls would include two robberies, a spousal assault, a missing person, a hit-and-run.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: So Game joins us now, live from Los Angeles.
All right, Game. What is your side of the story? What happened?
GAME, RAPPER: It was just a simple mishap. I was doing a photo shoot in downtown Los Angeles, and one of my boys picked up my phone and started tweeting random numbers.
The tweeter about the internship was earlier in that day, so it got lost in the media with all that. We never sent out -- or he never sent out a tweet that said these numbers are for an internship. He just tweeted a bunch of numbers, you know, jokingly. But we always get each other when we put our phones down or something like that, playing pranks. But it was just a mishap.
WHITFIELD: So you're saying a friend tweeted this on your account. Were you at least responsible for any of the tweets prior to that about the music internship? GAME: Yes, but we had already contacted and had the interns come down to the photo shoot and start working. So, the tweets, you know, at hand were not tweeted out until later on that evening. And none of them stated, "Call this number for an internship."
WHITFIELD: So, reportedly, there was a response from you earlier in the game which said that you were hacked.
GAME: Right. It was hacked, but it was by my friend.
Like I said, my phone was laying around. And whenever his phone is laying around, my phone is laying around, we always tweet from each other's page. So that's what happened.
WHITFIELD: OK. So what's your response to the L.A. police saying, which are saying that some real legitimate calls about assaults and accident calls didn't make it through because of this mishap?
GAME: It's a real sensitive subject. I never want to be, you know, the source of anything happening wrong to anybody, or anyone not being able to get through the help lines at the police station. But it was a 10-digit toll-free number.
And, you know, when people are in trouble, they call 911. And that's not to take away from the police, them doing a job, or them saying that there was a robbery or something happened. I don't ever want to see anybody hurt. I've got kids at home, a woman at home.
You know, I'm not that guy. So, definitely, my sincerest apologies to the sheriff's department. And like I said, and it was a joke gone wrong.
WHITFIELD: So you're apologizing. But then what if authorities say that's not enough? Apparently, some authorities are talking about potential obstruction of justice charges.
GAME: Yes. If my apology is not enough, I don't understand what else can be done.
I apologized, like the man that I am, and if anybody wants to take it any further than that, then I guess they have to do what they have to do. But like I said, again, I never intended for anybody to take it the wrong way, or for it to go this far. You know, I think it's all nonsense.
WHITFIELD: OK. All right, Game. I know a lot of folks know you as Jayceon Terrell Taylor, or Charles Louboutin.
Correct?
GAME: That's me.
WHITFIELD: OK. So hopefully I guess the next time you are hearing from L.A. authorities on this, you're going to hope that they're going to say they are not going to pursue any criminal charges against you?
GAME: We hope so, but we'll see.
WHITFIELD: All right. Game, thanks so much for your time. Appreciate it.
GAME: Thanks a lot.
WHITFIELD: So Game has almost 600,000 Twitter followers, so it's easy to see how quickly people can respond to just one posting. But what happens when average people do tweets?
We've seen the power of social media recently. Like this, police say a group of up to 40 people swarmed Philadelphia's City Center late last month, randomly stealing from stores and assaulting people. Things got so bad, the mayor had to put a teen curfew in place.
And then remember this? A teenage girl in Germany went into hiding after she forgot to set her Facebook invitation to private and invited the whole Internet. Well, hundreds of people showed up.
So, can someone really be prosecuted for a tweet or a Facebook posting?
Joining us from New York to discuss this is criminologist and CNN contributor Casey Jordan.
All right. So, Casey, some might think this is pretty nebulous and innocent, they're having fun tweeting. But then it could lead to something very serious as those cases I just spelled out.
CASEY JORDAN, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Right. And again, the advent of technology -- and it's really almost a runaway train, how these things have progressed just in the last few years.
You have to remember that the framers of the Constitution could not have foreseen the Internet tweets, Facebook. Life as we know it today was unfathomable just a few hundred years ago, when your freedom of speech meant you got to stand on a soapbox in the village square, perhaps tack some postings up on the local tree.
Things are much different today. And the ability for social media to actually result in a dangerous or criminal event is truly being revealed just in the last few months.
WHITFIELD: So, if something goes terribly wrong, is it enough to be able to say, just as Game did, that, you know what? Somebody else used my account and tweeted something, and so thereby I should not be held liable.
JORDAN: Yes, get ready for that, because that is going to be the go-to excuse whenever somebody gets caught. Oh, I'm sorry, is there a law that says that I have to have a privacy setting on my phone? It was all just a big mistake.
Police are anticipating that already. And until the law gets carved out -- and the only way this is going to happen is through a series of lawsuits and prosecutions, believe me, because this is really uncharted territory.
Well, the police are going to do things like we saw last week at the BART station in San Francisco, where they simply cut cell signals because they make a judgment that in that balancing act between civil rights and personal responsibility -- and remember, they are charged with the safety of everyone in the state -- they have to err on the side of personal safety, perhaps at the reasonable sacrifice of some personal freedoms.
WHITFIELD: So then where is this going? Do you see new laws going into effect or being pursued, new ordinances, et cetera? Because it is a whole different ball of wax now when you are talking about social media and you're talking about messages that are being conveyed, whether they be intentional or not.
JORDAN: Well, the keyword, Fredricka, is "intent." And the problem is everyone is going to argue it was a mistake, it was an accident, it was my best friend tweeting, my account was hacked.
What was the intent of sending a viral tweet? Were you trying to create a flash mob, and was the intent of that mob for a peaceful protest or for a criminal action?
This is going to be determined. I mean, we all are familiar with the famous of Oliver Wendell Holmes. You can't cry "Fire!" in a crowded theater. You can't create a public danger with your free speech.
And that balancing act is really going to be tested by prosecution of cases. I appreciate Game's apology. I'm just wondering if the police will pursue it to set an example so that we can figure out where the limitations rest.
WHITFIELD: All right. Casey Jordan, thanks so much for your time. Appreciate it.
It's a new school year in Joplin, Missouri, but it's nothing like last year for hundreds of students there. Their lives and their schools were simply torn apart by May's deadly tornado. We'll hear from some of them.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Three months after a massive tornado ripped apart Joplin, Missouri, a new school year is under way. Classes start today, but it's a beginning unlike any other for thousands of students in Joplin.
In all, 10 schools in the city were damaged or destroyed. The tornado killed more than 150 people.
So Joplin High School took a big hit from that tornado, and now some of the students are starting classes in a middle school. Others are actually going to a shopping mall. CNN's Shannon Travis reports from Joplin.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LYDIA MCALLISTER, SENIOR, JOPLIN HIGH SCHOOL: Every time I drive by it, it's still really sad. Just all the memories and all the friends that I made in these hallways.
YAINER OVIEDO, SENIOR, JOPLIN HIGH SCHOOL: It's sad knowing that you won't be able to spend your last year of high school here.
SHANNON TRAVIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): School surveillance video shows that tornado reducing two schools to virtually nothing in minutes. Ten school buildings were damaged or destroyed, including Joplin's only high school.
C. J. HUFF, JOPLIN SCHOOLS SUPERINTENDENT: That next morning, we came to the realization we had 54 percent of our kids who had no place to go, about 4,200 out of 7,747.
TRAVIS: This new school year, high school students will split up. Ninth and ten graders will go to an existing middle school. The upper classmen will attend classes at this mall. Yes, it's a mall. 95,000 square feet, a cost of $5.5 million to convert an old retail store. Officials say it was the only place big enough. Rising seniors, Yainer Oviedo and Lydia McAllister accompanied me to their new 21st century school. It has open spaces, walls that move.
OVIEDO: The entire space can be opened up.
TRAVIS: A fitness center and a coffee shop run by the students. Every one of these kids will get laptops. But how will students focus on learning?
Dr. Syed Husain is a professor at the University of Missouri. A child psychologist, he's been to over 80 disaster zones. He helps children learn even when death and disaster surround them.
DR. SYED HUSAIN, PROFESSOR, UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI: When that kid or person is saying, I don't want to hear about it anymore, what is going on there?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That would be avoidance.
HUSAIN: Avoidance.
And we are training teachers as therapists.
TRAVIS: Husain says children learning in any disaster zone can suffer declining grades, depression, flashbacks and nightmares.
OVIEDO: I don't know how someone my age goes like this, but I'm having problems.
TRAVIS: And yet, this entire community wants the children to be children again. TRAVIS (on-camera): So, this is it. This is the moment right here that a lot of these children have been waiting for. This is the freshmen kickoff. A lot of these kids are right here. You will hear them kind of rallying right now. They're excited.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm actually kind of excited about that. It will be a little comfort, I guess, to go back to school.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Welcome, class of 2015!
(APPLAUSE)
TRAVIS (voice-over): For "Education Overtime," I'm Shannon Travis.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: The newest White House hopeful, Rick Perry, isn't shying away from taking a hard swing at the competition. We'll tell you what the straight-talking Texan has to say about President Obama.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Here is a rundown of some of the stories we're working on next. President Obama and presidential candidate Rick Perry both stumping in the Midwest. We have a live report.
Then, as gay couples win the right to marry in several states, they are still running into trouble with the tax man. We'll explain.
And later, the record-breaking July heat is not causing us to sweat but causing Arctic Ice to melt. Our meteorologist Chad Myers shows us what is going on.
All right. The race for 2012 is up and running. And the candidates are on the road hunting for votes; that includes the commander in chief. Today, President Barack Obama wraps up a three- day bus tour with a stop on his home turf in Illinois.
Our Brianna Keilar is following the president for us. So, Brianna, a lot of chatter today about the administration's new plan to create jobs to be revealed in full, I guess, in September. What more can we say about it?
BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Fredricka, we're learning from a senior administration official that we should expect for it to include some tax cuts, some infrastructure spending and something to address the long-term unemployed, which of course, is a huge problem.
The thing is, when you look at the general ideas and you should not expect necessarily to get any details on these from the president today here in Atkinson, Illinois when he addresses a crowd inside of the facility that I am standing out in front of.
When you look at these details or sort of the broad strokes that a senior administration official is telling us, some of these things are what Republicans don't necessarily like. Either they don't like them or so far, they don't like the way the Democrats and the White House have proposed executing the ideas. We're expecting to learn more about when the president unveils his plan. Yes, it will happen in early September once Congress returns right after Labor Day, Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: So, why the delay, anyway, in releasing the plan?
KEILAR: Right now White House officials feel there is no point while Congress is away right now. The other thing you've heard, for instance, you have heard some of the Republican candidates say then why doesn't the president just call Congress back and deal with this problem right now? He has answered that directly here on these sort of campaign-style visits he has been making here in the Midwest, saying that he thinks it would actually hurt confidence if Congress was just to be bickering right now, as he put it. He said right now, they should be back in their home districts and states, hearing from voters and sort of come back to Washington, as he says, sort of with a fresh attitude and ready to compromise.
I don't know if it will go down that easily, Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: Nothing is easy these days, I don't think, as it pertains to all taking place in Washington. Thanks so much. Appreciate that, Brianna Keilar..
All right. The slow economy has been a central issue hanging over President Obama since he took office. Our Wolf Blitzer actually sat down with the president yesterday to talk, and he asked if he is up to the challenge of four more years.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: When you took office, you said this and I'm sure you remember. You said, "If I don't have this done in three years, then there's going to be a one-term proposition," meaning you're going to be a one-term president. You remember that?
OBAMA: Well, here's what I remember, is that, when I came into office, I knew I was going to have a big mess to clean up. And, frankly, the mess has been bigger than I think a lot of people anticipated at the time.
We have made steady progress on these fronts, but we're not making progress fast enough. And what I continue to believe is that ultimately the buck stops with me. I'm going to be accountable. I think people understand that a lot of these problems were decades in the making. People understand that this financial crisis was the worst since the Great Depression. But, ultimately, they say, look, he's the president, we think he has good intentions, but we're impatient and we want to see things move faster.
And I understand that, I'm sympathetic to it, and we're going to just keep on putting forward ideas that are going to be good for the country. We're going to need a partner from Congress, and we're going to need folks to move off some of these rigid positions they have been taking in order to solve these problems.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: And right now, I want to show you live pictures right now -- the newest GOP presidential candidate, Rick Perry, participating in a roundtable with business leaders. He's in Nashua, New Hampshire right now. He has been touting how good the Texas economy has been under his leadership. And just moments ago, he apparently said that this is about America's economy.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PERRY: From my perspective, we spent about the last two-and-a- half years in a grand experiment with the American economy. And it has been a terrible, terrible disaster. We now have just this monstrous debt hanging over our children's future like a black cloud.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: And wedding bells ring for more and more same-sex couples. But what happens when everybody's favorite uncle, Uncle Sam, acts as though the nuptials never happened?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: A reminder to vote for the "Choose the News" winner. Text 22360 to vote for the story you want to see. Text 1 for "Danger in Yosemite." Beautiful and serene, it's nature at its finest. But it has a dark and wild side. Text 2 for "Made in China." When you buy items made in China, the money may be staying home closer than you actually think. Or text 3 for "American tourists in Cuba." There's plenty of cigars and no McDonald's. A handful of tourists get to go where Americans have not been allowed to go in decades. The winning story airs later on in the hour.
All right. Gay marriage is now legal in New York. While that has been a huge cause for celebration for many, even those who have already tied the knot are not getting the same breaks as traditional couples, especially when it comes to finances.
CNN's Poppy Harlow explains.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I pronounce you both married.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We've been waiting for this day.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My husband and her wife.
POPPY HARLOW, CNNMONEY.COM (voice-over): Not so fast. For many gay couples in New York, the last few weeks have been filled with celebration.
ELLEN DESARNO, AXA, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER: Marriage equality is very good for morale in New York State. However it doesn't change a lot of the laws that affect us.
HARLOW: Openly gay financial planner Ellen DeSarno says the biggest road block for gay couples is the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, which defines marriage as a legal union between one man and one woman.
As a result, many of the federal tax breaks that straight married couples get, same sex married couples don't. Gay couples still can't file joint federal tax returns, share retirement benefits or combine their money freely.
DESARNO: Heterosexuals that - that marry is recognized at a federal level. They have the ability to give each other unlimited gifts and inherit unlimited amounts from each other. I can't give my partner more than $13,000 a year without it being a taxable gift.
BILL HERBST, ENGAGED: (INAUDIBLE) with my sister coming on Friday.
RALPH GILMARTIN, ENGAGED: Friday.
HARLOW: Ralph Gilmartin and Bill Herbst have been together nearly 30 years and plan to marry in November. They own their apartment together, but have questions about their financial rights.
GIMARTIN: The state tax question is a bit of an issue.
HERBST: And we have to go back and maybe dismantle or rethink or reallocate because we're not sure what these things are going to do.
HARLOW: We've arranged for our financial pro to sit down with the couple.
HERBST: Are there things that we can look at that will save us money or make things easier that we can maybe change now?
DESARNO: If you're not married and you're partners, there's a $1 million exemption of assets you can pass on to your heirs without any New York State tax. When you're legally married in New York that's unlimited.
HARLOW: And there are other state benefits. Rights may include health insurance and some pension benefits for spouses. Ralph and Bill say the right to finally say "I do" far outweighs the financial headaches that may lie ahead.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think it's an important baby step, but are we there yet? Absolutely not. There's a lot more that we need to continue working on.
HARLOW: Gay couples should also keep in mind once they wed, they'll be responsible for their spouse's debt. And no one wants to think about it, but what about divorce? Gay married couples, just like straight couples who split, will have to pay alimony.
In New York, Poppy Harlow, CNNmoney. (END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Record heat in July. It made life miserable for millions of Americans but it also had an impact in the Arctic. We will check in with Chad Myers, who has new images of the ice pack to show us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Some starting new images from the Arctic. That very hot month of July had a big impact on the ice pack. Chad Myers with us now.
How much of an impact are we talking?
CHAD MYERS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: You won't believe the pictures.
WHITFIELD: Really?
MYERS: Honestly. Honestly.
WHITFIELD: Oh.
MYERS: The people in northern Siberia can literally put boats in the water where they've never been able to before. And with a small little icebreaker, they're able to go back and forth across the north Pacific (ph).
WHITFIELD: Oh, my goodness. Not good for the animals.
MYERS: Fourth hottest in the U.S. Fourth hottest July in the U.S. ever. Seven hottest on the globe. That's a big deal because a lot of times you'll say, wow, it was a really hot summer in the U.S., but it was really cold in Russia or something -- vice versa. This was the seventh hottest month on record ever.
WHITFIELD: Oh, my goodness.
MYERS: And it is the lowest amount of ice pack since 1980. Well, that's great, but we've only been checking since 1980.
So, here's an idea. Here's where we were in July. The beginning of July. And here's Russia, the other side of the globe. That would be the North Pole, Santa Claus right there. So you couldn't get anything back through here. Come over here to the other side, where just one month later, all of this is completely open. You can take ships. You can take ships up here through the passages along and north of Siberia and into Russia.
Let me move you ahead. I'm going to move you a couple more graphics. This is what it looked like in 2006. Completely closed off again. This is where we are, wide open.
Back to the biggest map I have now. This is back from 1980. Literally the first graphic that we really could make because this is the first time we had polar orbiting earth solar (ph) satellites taking a look at this sea ice. Closed, closed, closed all the way even to parts of northern Europe. Closed all the way here through Greenland and Iceland.
Back to this side, just so you can compare, wide open shipping channels all the way through. That would be Alaska right through there. Back up here to the Northwest Passage, even with an icebreaker possibly even getting through where all of those explorers, hundreds and hundreds of years ago, tried to get through, they were just 300 years too early.
Fred.
WHITFIELD: Oh, my goodness. This is really alarming, isn't it?
MYERS: Yes, it sure is. And not only is the amount of ice small, we think that the thickness of the ice is also getting smaller.
WHITFIELD: Of course. All right, Chad Myers, thank you so much for bring those images to us. Appreciate it.
MYERS: You're welcome. Sure.
WHITFIELD: So today's "Talk Back" question, is heckling good for our political discourse? Tyler says, "the only effective heckling is working to vote them out of office." More of your responses straight ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: All right, live pictures right now out of Atkinson, Illinois. A full house right there. This is a hybrid corn seed company. Any moment now President Barack Obama will be entering there to have the first of two scheduled town hall meetings -- town hall- style meetings today. This is the third and final day of his three day bus tour. He's already been in Minnesota and Iowa and then he's wrapping it up in Illinois. Of course, we'll bring those comments to you live as soon as it happens.
Meantime, Texas Governor Rick Perry is drumming up votes right now in New Hampshire. Mark Preston, part of "The Best Political Team on Television," is live from the campaign trail in New Hampshire.
So Perry says he created jobs in Texas as governor and he's hitting the president hard on not being able to do the same. It's bound to be a huge campaign issue. But just how successful was Perry in creating those jobs? Should he be getting all the credit for it?
MARK PRESTON, CNN POLITICAL EDITOR: Well, you know, Rick Perry, during his two visits here in New Hampshire today, that's what he talked about. He talked about his job creation down in Texas. He also, you could say, he tripled down on his criticism of Ben Bernanke. And he also noted that President Obama lectured him regarding how he should act on the campaign trail. In fact, at a breakfast this morning, listen to what the governor had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RICK PERRY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Yesterday, uh, the president said I needed to watch what I say. I just want to respond back, if I may. Mr. President, actions speak louder than words. My actions as governor are helping create jobs in this country. The president's actions are killing jobs in this country. It's time to get America working again.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PRESTON: And there you have -- there you have Rick Perry, the Texas governor, this morning at a breakfast here in Bedford, New Hampshire. He's taking about his jobs program. And, in fact, he was taking the criticism that he had of Ben Bernanke, tying it together with his vision and matching it up against President Obama's record on the economy.
Fred.
WHITFIELD: All right, Mark Preston, thanks so much.
All right, and you have been sounding off on our "Talk Back" question. Carol Costello joining us with more of your responses.
Carol.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: "Talk Back" question today, Fredricka, is heckling good for our political discourse?
This from Rob. "Define heckling. If holding politicians accountable for their statements and record is deemed to be heckling, than let the heckling commence. The politicians work for us and they need to be reminded."
This from Tom. "Definitely not good for our political discourse. It ruins potential candidate's ability to convey their message, just as it runs a comedian's jokes. It's not like we're unaware of heckler's opinions. Shouting them during a speech simply makes them look a fool."
This from Anthony. "It is our right to speak out and interject when we disagree with a political candidate. People need to remember that these politicians are not gods. They are not above us, they represent us. When did the American people forget that we the people dictate the actions of the candidates."
And this from Robin. "I want to hear what all the candidates say so I can make an informed decision. If I have to listen to a heckler, even if I agree with their position, I'm not hearing what the candidates are saying. It isn't just rude to heckle the speaker, it's rude to those of us who want to hear what's being said."
Please continue the conversation, facebook.com/carolcnn. And thanks, as always, for your comments.
WHITFIELD: All right, and, Carol, yes, there's more to talk about than -- I want you to take a listen to this. Do you watch, by the way, MTV's show, "The Jersey Shore"?
COSTELLO: No, but I know who the characters are. I don't even have to watch.
WHITFIELD: I know, they get so much publicity. Well, you know what, the executives at Abercrombie & Fitch are offering the stars of that show big bucks to stop wearing their label on the air. Store executives say that they are worried the hard-partying cast is ruing the brand's image. Exactly how much they are offering Snooki and the gang to stay away from their logo? Well, that has not quit been revealed.
COSTELLO: It just came out, too, Fredricka, that Abercrombie & Fitch said they lost 5 percent of their sales because "The Situation" wears their clothes. So this is serious.
WHITFIELD: I wonder how they ever heard that one?
COSTELLO: I don't know.
WHITFIELD: Yes, it is very serious. They're saying, you know, this is big bank and they're willing to go ahead and I guess dig a little deeper and pay them to stop wearing the brand. That's an interesting reverse.
COSTELLO: Well, Abercrombie & Fitch has an image.
WHITFIELD: Yes.
COSTELLO: And the image is not "The Jersey Shore."
WHITFIELD: Well, that's what they're saying.
COSTELLO: It's more uptown.
WHITFIELD: All right. Thanks so much, Carol.
COSTELLO: Sure.
WHITFIELD: See you again tomorrow.
And you told us what you wanted to see. Your "Choose The News" story just moments away.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: All right, you voted, we listened. Here's your "Choose The News" winner. For most people in the U.S., Cuban has long been the forbidden fruit of the tourism industry. Well, now, some are getting a chance to visit. Our Shasta Darlington has the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) SHASTA DARLINGTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Sipping mojitos to the rhythm of Cuban salsa in Havana's historic hotel National (ph). Thousands of tourists do it every year, but usually they're not Americans.
GARY BORIERO, AMERICAN TOURIST: We're here to experience the people and the culture.
DARLINGTON: Cuba receives more than 2 million tourists every year. They flock to the white sand beaches and auggle (pH) at the vintage American cars. But for half a century, the vast majority of Americans have been barred from traveling to the communist country. Earlier this year, President Barack Obama eased restrictions and resumed allowing Americans to visit the island for purposeful travel called people to people tourism. Such trips had been suspended by President Bush. The first tours organized by Insight Cuba have finally landed.
TOM POPPER, DIRECTOR, INSIGHT CUBA: And so we take them throughout the real places in Cuba, meeting real people in real-life settings and they're just incredibly rewarding.
DARLINGTON: The idea is that visitors interact with ordinary Cubans to help support civil society. They also get a taste of forbidden fruit.
BORIERO: I don't have to see a McDonald's and a strip mall every five feet and I get to experience something new and exciting.
DARLINGTON (on camera): The itineraries include schools and hospitals and community projects, like this one. This is Kiahona Hamil (ph) where Afro Cuban artists and musicians get together every weekend to jam and show off their art.
DARLINGTON (voice-over): Most participants say they prefer it to longing on a beach.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I would choose this kind of (INAUDIBLE) even (ph) the culture, living (ph) with the Cuban people.
DARLINGTON: Some said they feel they were being fed too much propaganda, and others just want a little more free time.
SUSAN JASPER, AMERICAN TOURIST: But we want our own time. It's a bit of a heavily programmed trip.
DARLINGTON: A delicate balance for organizers who have to meet U.S. requirements for purposeful travel and work with Cuba's state run tourism operators. Nonetheless, Insight Cuba says it hopes to bring in 5,000 Americans in its first year alone.
Shasta Darlington, CNN, Havana.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
